[Expression and characterization of 2 bovine viral diarrhea virus structural proteins (]BVDV)]

The BVDV glycoproteins gp48 and gp53 were expressed in the baculovirus eukaryotic system. Both recombinant proteins were recognized in western blot analysis by monoclonal antibodies and polyclonal serum. Immunofluorescent test demonstrated that gp53 was localized on the cell surface whereas gp48 was in the cytoplasm. The expressed proteins were extracted by non-denaturing detergent treatment. Rabbit antiserum raised against gp53 recombinant protein efficiently neutralized the virus. These results demonstrate that the recombinant proteins have immunological properties similar to those of the native viral protein and that they can be useful as diagnostic reagents.